The UK government has concluded that Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza but “must do much more” to prevent and alleviate the suffering.

Britain’s position was clarified by David Lammy, as foreign secretary until a few days ago, in response to questions from the chair of the International Development Committee, Sarah Champion.

In a letter, dated 1 September, he wrote that “the crime of genocide occurs only where there is specific ‘intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.’

“The government has not concluded that Israel is acting with that intent.”

Previously, the government’s position had been that it was for an international court to decide if Israel was committing genocide.

Israel has strongly denied that its actions in Gaza amount to genocide, but is being challenged on the issue in a case at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

The world’s leading association of genocide scholars, as well as several Israeli human rights organisations, have already accused the country of genocide.

Mr Lammy, who was replaced by Yvette Cooper as foreign secretary during Sir Keir Starmer’s recent reshuffle, also criticised the “catastrophic humanitarian situation” in the region.

Lammy: Destruction is ‘utterly appalling’

“The high civilian casualties, including women and children, and the extensive destruction in Gaza, are utterly appalling,” he wrote.

“Israel must do much more to prevent and alleviate the suffering that this conflict is causing.”

Israel struck and destroyed another high-rise building in Gaza City on Monday after warning residents to evacuate.

The military said it was targeting Hamas observation posts and bombs placed around the 12-story office building, though has not provided evidence for this claim.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told residents they should leave the city immediately.

On Monday, a flotilla aiming to transport humanitarian aid to Gaza claimed one of its boats was struck by a drone on Tuesday in Tunisian waters, suffering fire damage.

None of the passengers or crew on the Portuguese-flagged vessel were hurt, the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) said in a statement.

But a spokesperson for Tunisia’s National Guard rejected GSF’s reports of a drone strike and told Mosaique FM radio that an initial inspection indicated the explosion originated inside the vessel.

Israel has imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, saying it aims to stop weapons from reaching the militant group.

Israeli weapons ban ‘antisemitic’

Meanwhile, Spain has banned ships and aircraft carrying weapons to Israel from calling at Spanish ports or entering its airspace, because of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.

The measures were described as antisemitic by Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Saar.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government also said it would not allow anyone who has participated directly in “genocide” in Gaza to enter Spain.

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Deadly bus stop shooting

Israel suffered its deadliest shooting since October 2024 on Monday, when gunmen opened fire at a bus stop in Jerusalem, killing six people and wounding another 12.

An Israeli soldier and civilians who were at the scene shot and killed the two attackers, said police, who later arrested a third person.

Israel’s Shin Bet internal security agency said the two attackers, aged 20 and 21, were Palestinians from the West Bank with no prior arrests.

The militant group Hamas did not say it was behind the attack but called it a “natural response to the occupation’s crimes against our people”.

Starmer holds talks with Abbas

President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority (PA), condemned “any targeting of Palestinian and Israeli civilians” and “denounced all forms of violence and terrorism, regardless of their source,” according to a statement from his office.

Mr Abbas visited Downing Street on Monday evening for discussions with Sir Keir Starmer.

Following the talks, the prime minister’s spokesperson said they spoke about “the intolerable situation in Gaza” and how to secure “enduring peace and stability for both Palestinians and Israelis”.

“The president welcomed the prime minister’s pledge to recognising (sic) a Palestinian state ahead of the UN General Assembly meeting later this month, unless Israel changes its course,” the statement added.

Isaac Herzog, the president of Israel, is also set for meetings with the UK government in the next few days.

Files from a ‘birthday book’ compiled for the sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein appear to include a glowing contribution from the current UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson.

Documents appear to show Lord Mandelson calling Epstein his “best pal” and writing of the friend “taking you by surprise… in one of his glorious homes he likes to share with his friends (yum yum)”.

The pages are contained in files from the estate of the deceased billionaire paedophile, handed over to a Congressional committee.

The collection of birthday tributes include a hand-drawing of a woman’s body, signed “Donald”. They also contain a picture of Epstein holding an outsized cheque, signed by “DJTRUMP”.

Read more on this story:
Alleged Epstein note doesn’t look great for Trump

Beneath the image is a handwritten message that reads: “Jeffrey showing early talents with money + women! Sells ‘fully depreciated (redacted) to Donald Trump for $22,500.”

The US president has denied any impropriety involving Epstein, whom he once counted as a friend.

The newly-released files were handed over following a demand by the Oversight Committee of the US Congress.

They are from a book compiled by Epstein’s co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, to celebrate Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003.

Mandelson’s message to ‘best pal’

A number of pages include pictures of Lord Mandelson, a former Labour minister, and a message that reads:

“Once upon a time, an intelligent, sharp-witted man they call “mysterious” parachuted into my life.

“You would spend many hours just waiting for him to turn up.

“And often, no sooner were you getting used to having him around, you would suddenly be alone…. again.

“Leaving you with some “interesting” friends to entertain instead….

“Or just some dogs to keep you company (he wasn’t always so keen on them)

“But then he would parachute back in…

“Very occasionally, taking you by surprise in some far off places

“Or in one of his glorious homes he likes to share with his friends (yum yum)

“But, wherever he is in the world, he remains my best pal!

“Happy birthday, Jeffrey we love you!!”

Pictures of Lord Mandelson appear on the pages, which include an image of a tropical island.

Previously, a 2019 report by JP Morgan bank suggested Lord Mandelson had stayed at Epstein’s New York flat in 2009, while the disgraced financier was in jail.

Epstein was serving an 18-month sentence after pleading guilty to procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution.

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At the time, Lord Mandelson was the business secretary in the UK government, under then prime minister Gordon Brown.

Sky News contacted the British embassy in Washington for comment, and was referred to earlier statements from Mandelson, including an interview with Sky News in May this year.

Asked then about the New York story, he said: “I’m not answering any questions about him. My knowledge of him is something I regret, I wish I’d never met him in the first place.”

Asked why he had an association with Epstein while he was in jail, Lord Mandelson replied: “Why did many people meet him? He was a prolific networker and I wish I’d never met him in the first place.”

US vice president JD Vance defended Mr Trump on X and called out Democrats for “not caring about Epstein’s victims”.

He wrote: “The Democrats don’t care about Epstein. They don’t even care about his victims.

“That’s why they were silent about it for years. The only thing they care about is concocting another fake scandal like Russiagate to smear President Trump with lies.

“No one is falling for this BS.”

Finally, we see the look of the evidence – and it doesn’t look great for Donald Trump.

A lewd birthday message Trump allegedly sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been released by Democrats.

The letter, surrounded by a hand-drawn outline of what appears to be a woman, bearing Trump’s name and allegedly his signature, includes the text: “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.”

The alleged note had always been in doubt, as long as the fabled birthday book remained unpublished. There’s more certainty now.

Trump had repeatedly denied all association, saying: “I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women.”

It will amplify questions surrounding his friendship with Epstein and suggestions of improper behaviour. The US president denies any wrongdoing.

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In suing the publishers of The Wall Street Journal, Trump’s attorneys have argued that “no authentic letter or drawing exists”.

Expect arguments over authenticity to continue – forensic investigations, who knows, to establish the provenance of the picture signed “Donald”.

Read more from Sky News:
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What isn’t in doubt is the traction it will lend to calls for a full release of the Epstein files. The birthday book handed over to the Congressional committee had the names and faces of women and minors redacted.

The drawing and its publication is the hard piece of evidence that makes it even harder for the president to cry “hoax”.

And yet, he surely will. To admit the picture was drawn by his own hand would be to admit a lie that would bind him tighter still to the scandal that stalks him.

A first sight of the drawing is one development in this story, but it’s not the only one. Lawyers for the Epstein estate wrote in their covering letter to the committee that they are unaware of the existence of a “list of clients involved in sex, sex acts, or sex trafficking facilitated by Mr Jeffrey Epstein”.

It is their word, for public consumption.

They’ll be aware, as they are in the White House, that on this story, the public would rather make up its own mind.